Spots related to animal in Japan
There are zoos and aquarium throughout Japan.
They are the facitilies for research, rearing and exhibition of living animals.
The zoos and aquarium in Japan are not so large.
Each facility devises the exhibition and attracts visitors.
In addition, there are some unique and rare spots by wild animals in Japan.
The tourists who are interested in them visit the spots.
Spots related to animal in each region
Hokkaido Tohoku Kanto Koshin-etsu Hokuriku Tokai Kansai Chugoku Shikoku Kyushu
Spots related to animal in Hokkaido Region
Otaru Aquarium (おたる水族館) is an aquarium in the suburbs of Otaru city.
Many fishes around Hokkaido are exhibited.
And the show by sea animals such as sea lions, seal is attractive.
Bear Park (クマ牧場) is a zoo of brown bares near Noboribetsu Onsen town.
There are more than 100 brown bears here, and we can enjoy some attractions with bears.
Asahiyama Zoo (旭山動物園) in Asahikawa city is one of most popular zoos in Japan.
The method for exhibition of animals is unique and we can see many moving, walking and swimming animals.
YAMA NO Aquarium (山の水族館) is a small aquarium of freshwater fish and is located in On-neyu hot spring resort.
There are unique tanks such as showing the fish under the frozen river and waterfall.
Kita-kitsune Bokujo (北きつね牧場) is a farm of fox living in Hokkaido and is near YAMA NO Aquarium.
Many foxes are unrestrained in the farm and the visitors can walk freely in the farm.
Sakura Falls (さくらの滝) is a small waterfall in the mountain.
From early June to early August, cherry salmons swim upstream and ascend this waterfall, so we can see the scene near the waterfall.
Okhotsk Ryuhyo Museum (オホーツク流氷館) is a museum about ryuhyo (drift ice) in Abashiri city.
There is a small aquarium of marine creatures under ryuhyo, and "clione" is the most popular and pritty one among them.
Tsurui Village (鶴居村) is located in the suburbs of Kushiro city.
There are a few feeding places to observe wild red-crowned cranes designated as special natural treasure in Japan.
We can see the beautiful cranes from October to March.
Obihiro Ban'ei Horse Racing (帯広ばんえい競馬) is a horse racing held in Obihiro city.
Draft horses pull heavy iron sleds on the course of 200 meters.
Such races are held only in this race course in the world.
Spots related to animal in Tohoku Region
Oga Aquarium GAO (男鹿水族館 GAO, Akita Pref.) is an aquarium on the west coast of Oga Peninsula.
The fishes in the sea around Oga and in the river in Akita Prefecture are displayed, especially, the museum of Hatahata (Sailfin sandfish) is unique.
Kamo Aquarium (加茂水族館, Yamagata Pref.) is the aquarium in Tsuruoka city, and it is known for the display of jellyfish.
Over 50 kinds of jellyfish are displayed, and it is one of the most number of varieties in the world.
Kinkasan (金華山, Miyagi Pref.) is an island near Ojika Peninsula.
It has been a sacred island since ancient times and there is only Kogamesan Shrine.
So the main residents are wild deer and monkeys.
Tashirojima (田代島, Miyagi Pref.) is a small island near Kinkasan.
About 50 people live in this island but over 100 cats are in this island.
Cats have been valued since a long time ago, and there is "Cat Shrine".
Zao Fox Village (宮城蔵王キツネ村, Miyagi Pref.) is a theme park of fox in the suburbs of Shiroishi city.
Six kinds of over 100 foxes are left loose in the site.
Spots related to animal in Kanto Region
Art Aquarium (アートアクアリウム, Tokyo) is a unique and beautiful aquarium and art museum.
Many goldfishes are swimming in a lot of various artistic water tanks and they are the aquarium and an art museum.
Ueno Zoo (上野動物園, Tokyo) is a zoo in Ueno area in Tokyo.
It is the oldest zoo in Japan and has the largest number of visitors.
The giant pandas are very popular.
Sunshine Aquarium (サンシャイン水族館, Tokyo) is an aquarium on the top of a building of commercial complex "Sunshine City" in Ikebukuro district.
It is a unique aquarium seen in the center of the largest city.
Kamogawa Seaworld (鴨川シーワールド, Chiba Pref.) is a big aquarium like a theme park of sea animal and various marine animals are kept in captivity.
Tainoura (鯛の浦, Chiba Pref.) is a sea area near Kamogawa Seaworld.
Tai (red sea bream) is a kind of fish.
It swims in the deep sea and doesn't form groups generally.
In this sea, it swims in the shallow sea in herds.
Art Aquarium Ueno Sunshine City in Ikebukuro Kamogawa Seaworld & Tainoura
Spots related to animal in Koshin-etsu Region
Jigokudani Yaen-Koen (地獄谷野猿公苑, Nagano Pref.) is the natural facility protecting some groups of wild monkeys, and is also called as "Jigokudani Monkey Park" or "Snow Monkey Park" in English.
It is known for the wild monkeys taking a bath in winter.
But they don't take a bath in warm season.
Lake Hyo (瓢湖, Niigata Pref.) is a small artificial lake in the suburbs of Niigata city.
From October to March, more than 5,000 swans and some tens thousand of migratory birds come to this small lake.
Toki in Sado Island (Niigata Pref.) had been an endangered species.
Toki is a type of bird and is called a Japanese crested ibis.
Around 1970, the Japanese government began trying to breed them by borrowing some toki from China, but the last purely Japanese Toki was dead in 2003.
But wild Tokis are increasing now.
Spots related to animal in Hokuriku Region
Ptarmigan on Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route (Toyama Pref.) is a bird living only in high mountain. (It is called "Raicho" meaning "Thunderbird" in Japanese.
Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route is a route crossing the Northern Alps from west to east.
The route passes beautiful Mount Tateyama (立山, 3,015 m) and huge Kurobe Dam.
The tourists may be able to see the birds around Murodo-daira highland on the route.
Dinosaur Museum (恐竜博物館, Fukui Pref.) is literally the museum about dinosaur, and it is in Katsuyama city.
It had been said that there were no dinosaur fossil in Japan, but fossils of crocodile in Cretaceous period were discovered around this area in 1982.
Thuis museum was founded in 2000.
Spots related to animal in Tokai Region
Fuji Safari Park (富士サファリパーク, Shizuoka Pref.) is a zoo that visitors can observe the wildlife of animals by bus or car.
It is located at the south foot of Mount Fuji, and the visitors can see the animals against the background of Mount Fuji.
Kakegawa Kachouen (掛川花鳥園, Shizuoka Pref.) is a unique amusement park in Kakegawa city.
The visitors can enjoy interacting with birds and beautiful scenery of flowers.
Port of Nagoya Public Aquarium (名古屋港水族館, Aichi Pref.) is a popular aquarium in Nagoya city, and the square measure of the total floor space of the aquarium is the largest in Japan.
Some Killer whales are reared and we can see the training scene in a big pool.
Nagara River Ukai (長良川鵜飼, Gifu Pref.) is an old fishing method to catch the river fishes using cormorants.
The fishing is still held in some rivers in Japan, and Ukai in Nagara River is the most famous.
Akame 48 Waterfalls (赤目四十八滝, Gifu Pref.) are in the gorge about 4 km long.
Japanese giant salamander, a special natural treasure, lives in the clear river.
It is in Iga city, and it is said that Iga Ninja had trained around these waterfalls in Edo Period.
Fuji Safari Park Kakegawa Kachouen in Kakegawa city Port of Nagoya Public Aquarium city Nagara River Ukai in Gifu city Akame 48 Waterfalls
Spots related to animal in Kansai Region
Kaiyukan (海遊館, Osaka Pref.) is one of the largest aquariums in the world and is located near Osaka Port in Osaka city.
There are 14 huge tanks and they show various scenes of the Pacific Ocean.
Bell cricket temple (鈴虫寺, Kyoto Pref.) is a Buddhist temple in the suburbs of Kyoto city and the formal name is Kegonji.
Bell cricket ("Suzumushi" in Japanese) is a kind of insects and it sounds gently like small bell.
The visitors can listen to the teachings of Buddha by the head priest with the sound of bell crickets.
Nara Park (奈良公園, Nara Pref.) is the central park with historical spots such as Todaiji, Kasuga-Taisha, etc.
Many deer are living in the park and they have been protected carefully since ancient times, because they are the messengers of God in Kasuga-taisha shrine.
Cat Stationmaster (Wakayama Pref.) is in Kishi station of Wakayama Dentetsu railway.
Wakayama Dentetsu (和歌山電鐵) is a small railway company and starts from Wakayama station, and Kishi is the terminal station.
From 2006, the stationmaster has been the cat.
Spots related to animal in Chugoku Region
Okunoshima (大久野島, Hiroshima Pref.) is a small desert island in Seto Inland Sea.
About 400 wild rabbits are living in the island, so it is called "Rabbit Island".
It is said that the first rabbits in this island were moved from an elementary school in the mainland in 1971.
White Snakes in Iwakuni (Yamaguchi Pref.) has been designated a natural monument in Japan.
The white snakes have been found in some districts in Iwakuni city.
For visitors, there is the museum in Kikko Park near famous Kintai bridge.
Okunoshima Kikko Park near Kintai bridge
Spots related to animal in Shikoku Region
Takamatsu Castle (高松城, Kagawa Pref.) is a castle built in 1587 and demolished in 1869.
It is located near Takamatsu Port, and the fishes and oysters of the sea are living in the moat.
Monkey Park in Shodoshima (Kagawa Pref.) is near Choshikei gorge.
It in in the mountains, and about 500 monkeys which have been fed by hand are in the natural zoo.
Spots related to animal in Kyushu Region
Takasakiyama Monkey Park (高崎山自然動物園, Oita Pref.) is a natural zoological garden at the foot of Mount Takasaki.
Many wild Japanese monkeys living in Mt.Takasaki gather there by artificial feeding.
Cape Toi (都井岬, Miyazaki Pref.) is a small cape in the southeastern part of Kyushu Island.
About about 120 half-wild ponies are alive on the cape and they are designated as national natural treasures.
Kojima island (幸島, Miyazaki Pref.) is a small island near Cape Toi.
The wild monkeys in the island are well-known, and they wash potatoes in seawater before eating.
The reserchers pay attention to their behavior.
Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium (沖縄美ら海水族館, Okinawa Pref.) is one of the largest aquariums in the world, and it is in Nago city in Okinawa Island.
Huge water tanks with big fishes are attractive.
Takasakiyama Monkey Park Cape Toi Kojima island Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium